book gets me going
Great thrill to be reading "First Circumnavigation". Just as an aside why an author would name a book that and be a spoiler for the success of this and future circumnavigations, is beyond me.
Anyway, the joy on the reading for me now is about the stresses and strains of sailing a refitted boat to sea and being a green sailor heading out on a bliewater passage for the first time.
The Tiki I'm refitting has few signs of rot and both those have been obvious, both in hatch covers and both will be completely replaced. But the sick feeling that rot evokes stays with you and especially in the dark hours you awful-ise its potential to wreck you at sea. You're never far away from that fear until you've weather a gale successfully I suppose.
The green sailor stuff is a little more nuanced. I know I've been sailing most of my life, on various craft in all shapes and sizes. But I don't feel ten feel tall and bulletproof. Quite the opposite. I can look back now and acknowledge how lucky I was to complete two long coastal sails when in my 20s. I suspect I got by because the boat was solid, all the fittings were new, and I was a lot younger and optimistic with reserves of energy and good eyesight. Now, nearing retirement age I must admit to having depleted supplies of those things and of needing to ensure beforehand that everything is done properly so as to avoid high risk situations.
Bit, again the absolute thrill of pitting your skills at sea, is of paramount goal.
Anyway, the joy on the reading for me now is about the stresses and strains of sailing a refitted boat to sea and being a green sailor heading out on a bliewater passage for the first time.
The Tiki I'm refitting has few signs of rot and both those have been obvious, both in hatch covers and both will be completely replaced. But the sick feeling that rot evokes stays with you and especially in the dark hours you awful-ise its potential to wreck you at sea. You're never far away from that fear until you've weather a gale successfully I suppose.
The green sailor stuff is a little more nuanced. I know I've been sailing most of my life, on various craft in all shapes and sizes. But I don't feel ten feel tall and bulletproof. Quite the opposite. I can look back now and acknowledge how lucky I was to complete two long coastal sails when in my 20s. I suspect I got by because the boat was solid, all the fittings were new, and I was a lot younger and optimistic with reserves of energy and good eyesight. Now, nearing retirement age I must admit to having depleted supplies of those things and of needing to ensure beforehand that everything is done properly so as to avoid high risk situations.
Bit, again the absolute thrill of pitting your skills at sea, is of paramount goal.
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